Ball game apparatus



y 1940. J. COMOLETTI BALL GAME APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN COMOLETTI 1 w/$ 5):

July 2, 1940. CQMOLETT] 2,206,318

BALL GAME APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN COMOLETTI Wm I M A TTORNE YS Patented July 2 1940 mm- W This invention relates generallyto amusement devices and more particularly to gamesgof skill embodying targets at which suitable projectiles are adapted to be directed by the players to score pointsin accordance with the degree of success of the players in strikingthe targetswiththeprojectiles.

An object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus embodying targets mounted tomove when struck by a projectile, .and in accordance with the force and direction imparted to thep'rojectile bya player, this operation being preferably, although not necessarily, in conjunction with indicators which are operatively associated with thetargets ina manner to indicate the amount of movement of the respective targetsand thus enable the mined. i Another object of theinvention is to provide a game apparatus of the above described character in which the targets; are mounted to" rotate when struck by a projectile and are operatively 1 associated with devices whichregister the humber ofrevolutions of the targets. l it i A further object of the invention is toprovide a game: apparatus in which theltargets -can be quickly brought to rest fromoscill'ating motion i which are provided in the ball game apparatus following rotational motion of the targets by pro-- jeotiles, and the registring'devices are conveniently resettable for the start of another game.

1 With these and other objects in=view, the in Vention resides in thecomb-inations and arrangements ofelements as set forth in the following specificationand particularly pointed outin th'e 1 F r j fixed to one of the uprights l5, with the/contact appendedclaims. l l l In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, partly in section, of one of a number of identical targets embodying thislinvention;

Figure 2 is a view of the target in side elevation; Figure Sis a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view showing dial portions of the indicating and registering mechanisms operatively associated with the targets; Figure 5 is a plan sectional view of the indicating and registering mechanism provided foreach target;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the game apparatus; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of electrical circuits comprised in the game apparatus shown in the preceding figures.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and par-j most skillful players to be deterticularly to Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, this form of the invention comprises a suitable table l0 closed atthe frontlthereoi by a vertical wall- H along which players can stand side by side in iront of :agcorrespondin'g number of targets T,

a typical one of which is shown as being mountfrom the front wall thereof to require skill" on the part of thefiplayersto strike the targets with suitable projectiles such as balls "B, with equal numbers of which the players are provided at the start of a'game. 1 it l I l Operatively associated with each target T and mounted in the :top of the table It adjacent the front Wall H1 so as to beconveniently viewedby the respective terin'g device designated generallyat R, which device is operatively associated with the target in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Eachrtarget T comprises a suitable target figure player, is an indicating and regisr eclon thetable til at a location sufliciently remote 12 of any nature, which isfixed to'a shaft 1 3 jour naled at itsreducedends inbearings I4 supported inspaced uprights 15 of a U-shaped bracket or support I 6, the base of which is rigidly secured by screws IT! or other fastening means to thetop of thetable 10. l 1 i Fixed to the shaft 53 by screws l8 arecounter' weights to which tend to maintain the figure It ina perpendicular positioni One of the counterweights is providedwith a lug which broadly constitutes a means for momentarily closing a switch S during each revolution of the figure l2. The switch S is composed of resilient contact arms12|an2z insulatedflfrom each other and each revolution of the figure l2 effects actuation of the respective one of the devices R, each of which comprises a base plate on which is rotatably mounted ashaft at having fixed thereto a pointer 21 adapted to co-act with suitably numbered graduations 28 of a dial 29 which is mounted' in the top of the table 10 so as to be readily viewed by the player.

Also'fixed to the shaft is a feed memberin the form of a ratchet wheel 30, the teeth of which are engaged by a gravity feed pawl 3! pivoted at v 32 on an arm 33 pivoted at 34 on the plate 25 and normally urged to one extreme position by a spring 35. i

The core 36 of a feeding solenoid 31 is pivotally connected at 38 to the arm 33 for co-action therewith in retracting the feed pawl 3| against the action of the spring '35, upon momentary closing of the switch S, which operation supplies current from a suitable battery 39 to the winding of the solenoid through conductors 40 and 4| with which the contact arms 2| and 22, the battery and the solenoid are in series as is shown in circuit diagram of Figure '7. Upon de-energizing of the solenoid 31 as a result of opening the switch S, the spring 35 will advance the feed pawl 3| sufficiently to rotate the ratchet wheel through an angular distance corresponding to the spac ing of the graduations 28 of the dial 29 to indicate thereon one revolution of the target figure |2. Operating in conjunction with the feed pawl 3| is a holding pawl 42 carried by an arm 43 pivoted movementof the wheel to a starting position definitely determined by a stop pin 41 on thewheel,

engageable with a stop lug 48 on the plate 25.

A resetting solenoid 49 is fixed to the plate 25, and the core 50 of. the solenoid is pivotally connected at 5| to the arm 43 for co-action therewith when the solenoid is energized, to cause a pin 52 on a lateral extension 53 of the arm 43 to engage the feed pawl 3| and clear the. latter from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 30 so that the coil spring 46 will be free to act and restore the pointer 21 to the. .aforestated starting position.

Energization of the resetting solenoid is ef fected by a suitable push button switch S, the

terminals of which are in series with the winding of the solenoid 49 and the battery 39 through the conductor 41 andconductors 55, 56 and 51. An electromagnet 60 is supported in one of the uprights l5 of the support I6 with the core 6| of the electromagnet disposed to magnetically attract one of the weights l9 which forms an armature therefor, upon manual closing of a suitable push button switch S2 with the terminals of which the winding of the electromagnet and the battery 39 are in series through the conductors 4| and 51 and conductors 62, 63 and 64. Thus, it will be clear that any prolonged oscillatory movement of the target figure l2'fo1lowing its rotationalmovement can be arrested, and the target figure l2 immediately brought to rest by a manual closing of the switch S.

In the operation of the game apparatus above described, it will be 016%! that upon striking the target figure |2 with a ball B, the impact of the latter upon the figure will react to rotate the figure to a greater or lesser extent depending on the momentum of the ball and the distance from the axis of theshaft l3 at which the ball strikes the figure, thus actuating the respective device R for its pointer 21 to indicate the number of revolutions made by the target figure. With a number of persons playing the game by throwing an equal number of balls at the respective target figures of the apparatus, the most skillful of the players as determined by that one of the devices R registering the greatest number of revolutions will be the winner of the contest.

What is claimed is:

1. In a game apparatus, a target figure; means including a shaft mounting said figure for rotation about a fixed axis to normally occupy a position for striking by a projectile; a counting mechanism; a feeding mechanism including a feed wheel driving the countingmechanism, and a feed member for advancing said wheel; means normally urging the counting mechanism to a retrograde movement of the counting mechanism; a circuit including a source of current supply, a switch and a solenoid operatively connected to said feed member to actuate the latter and advance the counting mechanism; a solenoid operatively connected to the holding member; an

operative connection between the feed and holding members by which energization of the second said solenoid to release the holding member from the feed wheel will release the feed member therefrom; and a circuit including the second said solenoid, a source of current supply and a switch. 1

- 2. In a game apparatusfa target figure; means mounting said figure for movement about a fixed axis to rotate when struck by a projectile; a revolution indicator; a feeding, mechanism operatively connected to said revolution counter to drive the latter; an electrical circuit including a source of'current supply, a switch and a'solenoid operable when energized to actuate the feeding mechanism and cause the counting of a revolution'by said counter; means rotatable with the target figure, and operating to close said switch momen-' tarily during a revolution of the figure; means co acting withthe target figure and tending to maintain the latter ina position for striking by a projectile; and electromagnetic means co-actable with'the figure to bring same to rest following its rotation, upon energization of the electro- 

